20 signatures from International Students whom I interviewed. I asked them to write their names in English then in their native languages!
Here are some results from the interviews that I made recently which works as a follow-up to the previous surveys I gave to the students examining particularly their reading and writing skills. These interviews will go beyond that and focus on the main factors that affect the students’ literacy while they are attending Texas A&M-Commerce. All the participants are international students attending Texas A&M-University Commerce during spring 2010. According to the statistics given by the International Student Service Office, there are 533 international students coming from 38 countries attending the school this spring 2010. 23 students have been interviewed in this project. The results of the interviews can be classified into 3 parts.
Part 1: the skills that the students brought to the school.
A: A major skill that the students use here is the use of their native language.
B: Taking notes in their native language.
Part 2: the factors that helped the students become more literate.
A: The writing center at Texas A&M Commerce plays a vital role in promoting the
international students writing skills.
B: The assignments that the professors give to the students help the international students to
read and write more.
C: Studying all the time is a major factor for the international students to improve their
reading and writing skills.
D: The online library helps the international students to easily read and access the resources
and some of them use the online library for outside reading.
E: Students become more literate because they have to read more and speak the language,
i.e., the academic life.
F: Registering for elective classes is another factor in promoting the international students’
literacy because they have the choice to register for the classes that meet their needs and
satisfy their future goals.
Part 3: some suggestions made by the students to help them excel in their studies.
A: Some students have suggested that the library should provide textbooks.
This research project-- Literacy Among International Students--questions the international students’ literacy before they came to the school and now while they are attending Texas A&M- University Commerce. A wide number of researches from all over the world have tackled a number of cultural, social, academic, linguistic issues regarding the international students. These kinds of problems were discovered in the first place by some researchers who went deep into the field and extracted these issues and suggested solutions to people in charge. In this paper, however, I will not discuss the problems that face the international students here at Texas A&M-Commerce (if any), instead, I will shed some light on what skills they brought to this school. Obviously, I compared their previous skills when they were at home schools and questioned whether they still kept the same skills and whether they benefited from them or not. Apparently, the international students came from different countries, cultures and backgrounds; therefore, they used to have different varieties of skills when they were attending their home institutions. This research, therefore, examines those skills and questions whether they affected the students’ literacy.
There are two major components I will include and rely on in building the argument of this project—the idea of sponsorship and place. For the first one, I will see what the major factors that shape and hone the students’ literacy—is it the school, home, or something else? Also, the idea of place helps identify some blatant factors that make some students excel more in their studies. The idea of place should not only be confined to the place itself but also to who lives in that place, like a roommate. Apparently, a roommate reminds the person of the place he or she lives in. Consequently, the roommate could be looked at as a significant factor in either helping the promotion of the international student’s literacy or in working as an obstacle that disturbs and restrains people from taking their time to read, write, study, etc.
An international student jots down his notes in Thai language.
In my survey, I wrote four questions tending to shed light on the international students’ experiences at the library when they were at their home schools and during this semester at Texas A&M- Commerce. Eleven international students participated in filling out the surveys. Here are the answers preceded by the questions:
1-Do you visit the library? How often?
Five participants visit the library every day, and three of them did the same when they were home. Four participants visit the library 2-4 times a week, and two of them did not go the library when they were home.
2-If you have the call-number for a book in the library, are you able to find it by yourself or, you had to consult the reference desk? How often?
Seven participants maintained that they can find it themselves at this school and at their previous schools. On the other hand, four participants wrote they have to counsel with the reference desk, and two of them wrote that they were able to find it when they were home.
3-For what purposes do you go to the library?
All participants mentioned the word: study. Several of them added checking emails, research, meeting friends.
4-From where do you usually get your books?
All of them mentioned that they get their books from the library, and most of those added: from bookstore. Three of the participants mentioned that they get their textbooks from online at Texas A&M-Commerce, but they were not able to get them online when they were at their home institutions.
Based on Brandt’s thesis on the sponsorship of literacy, I would say that the school is the major sponsor for the international students. Overtly, school is the place where the child starts learning how to read and write. But, it also continues building the student’s knowledge, personality, philosophy, and their look toward the world. An example of this, lectures inside the classroom along with the textbooks. Both those two can determine the path that the student follows and thinks within. Therefore, in my research I’ve focused mainly on the role of the school to examine the students’ literacy. So far I can say that my previous assumptions were true, meaning, that the international students spend much of their time inside the campus and keep themselves busy with studying. A number of the students whom I interviewed have maintained that there are many departments in the school helped them promote their literacy, like, the writing center and the library. Again, in my research project, I’m not going to tackle the difficulties that the students face but I will try to discern the intangible reasons that shape the students’ literacy. In brief, Brandt’s idea of the sponsorship gave a firmer ground to my argument on questioning the international students’ literacy and the skills that they have developed after they arrived to Texas A&M- Commerce.
Bruce, Christine, and Hilary Hughes. “International Journal of Learning.”
2005/2006, Vol. 12 . Issue 9, p33-39
This article sheds light on the importance of addressing the linguistic and the cultural diversity of the students. It tackles the way the online information resources are designed to satisfy the “delivery of information literacy education.” It defines the information literacy as the “foundation for learning in our contemporary environment of continuous technological change.” It is based on an experiment on nine international students at an Australian university asking them about their experiences with the online information system. Finally, the paper highlights “the importance of well developed information literacy for effective learning in the current Australian educational context that is characterized by increasing cultural diversity and predominance of ICTs (information and communication technologies).”
International Students and the Academic Library: A Case Study
Morrissey, Renee and Lisa M, Given “Canadian Journal of Information & Library Science."Sep-Dec2006, Vol. 30 Issue 3/4, p221-239
This article focuses on the difficulties that may face international students while using the library. The authors interviewed some Chinese graduate students at the University of Alberta, Canada. It shows that the libraries “are designed for user-driven searching (e.g. computer databases, open stacks, etc), that demands on graduate students to master library processes is vital to academic success.” This paper, then, suggests designing a specific information literacy program for international students “to bridge the gaps between the Canadian library experience and those of other countries.” The school should do that after they arrange with the international students to look specifically what their needs are. It concludes, “By understanding and meeting international students' information needs, and by evaluating existing library programs and services, librarians and information scholars may identify innovative and effective strategies that can benefit all university students.” (p.17)
Defining Literacy: Paradise, Nightmare or Red Herring
Roberts, Peter.“British Journal of Educational Studies.” Volxxxx111,
no.4, December 1995, p 412-432
Roberts shows that the idea of focusing on a definition is not always helpful since the definition itself does not usually reflect the core and the essence of the thing that we try to define. For example, if we give a definition for literacy, still there are many important aspects of literacy that the definition does not touch. Roberts states, “for some theorists, there is no single ‘correct’ definition of literacy; instead, there are competing accounts of what it means to be ‘literate’ or ‘illiterate’” p.2
An investigation into pedagogical challenges facing international tertiary-level students in New Zealand
Johnson, Marcia E. “Higher Education Research & Development.” Vol.
27, No. 3, September 2008, 231-243
This work tends to highlight the difficulties that international students have inside the classroom. These difficulties, as the author suggests, affect the academic literacy of the international students. The students whom were interviewed seemed to agree that the main obstacle they face inside the classroom is the ambiguity of the assignments. The participants stated quite similar reasons, like, “complex wording, too wide a topic choice or topics that were too general, and use of such terms as ‘evaluate’ or ‘discuss’” (p.6). The paper emphasizes the need of making the assignments and generally the “academic tasks” clear and interpretable among second-language learners.
Information literacy in academic libraries: Assessment of Japanese students' needs for successful assignment completion in two Halifax universities
Ishimura, Yusuke.” Canadian Journal of Information & Library
Sciences” Mar2007, Vol. 31. Issue 1, P 1-26
This work is also related to the academic and the information literacy of the international students. Also, it is related to the assignments given to students—here it focuses on two schools: Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University, both are in Canada. The participants are Japanese students who show that they face some difficulties when they look for resources in the library. It argues that students who came up with good background are more likely would do better. The objectives of this project are:
1. to understand international students' experiences in working on assignments in Canadian universities,
2. to identify international students' information literacy skills (ability to formulate information needs, to access, evaluate, and use information, and to understand information ethics), and
3. to identify the types of assistance international students need in completing assignments and developing information literacy skills. ( P7)
Working with International Students on Literacy Issues
This article focuses on the literacy issues that face the international students. First, it tends to study the nature of the students—their backgrounds, countries, etc. Also, it aims to understand “the adjustments that students with language backgrounds other than English have to make in the higher education context.” Perhaps the main criteria that this article has tackled is the “awareness of practical strategies for teaching international students.”
Therefore, this article suggests 8 points:
• recognize that teaching and learning are culturally constructed
• avoid stereotyping
• be explicit about your expectations
• help students understand their new learning context
• provide guidelines for tasks given
• provide modeling for tasks given
• provide opportunities for students to interact with native English speakers in classes
• be explicit in assessment about proportion given to grammar. (p.6)
Literacy An Advanced Resource Book for Students
Street, Brian, and Adam Lfstein. Literacy An Advanced Resource Book
for Students. New York: Routledge, 2007
It is an advanced resource book that contains a number of methods and theories that any researcher should know.
Section A: focuses on the importance of literacy, “why study literacy?”
Section B: Extensions: key words “the terms used by various practitioners and theorists in the field of literacy”: Educational, anthropological, psychological terms.
Also, it focuses on Literacy Acquisition, Consequences of Literacy, and Literacy as a social practice.
It states that the most responsible people when it comes to literacy are the educators themselves. It argues, “The percentage of literacy among any region becomes the deciding factor in determining the culture or the social well being of that region. Literacy among people makes them prepared to face the challenges in their life and live with full respect in their society. Thereby, it becomes mandatory among every government or private authorities to give a look on the progress of literacy among people.”
I attended the multicultural festival last Friday (April 9th) and I interviewed several international students. Here are some pictures of the festival along some I took before it started:
Brenda Brand, the assistant director of the International Students Service Office. She holds a cup of coffee and sitting inside a Saudi tent.
This is another photo showing the Kairm, the famous game!
Fadel- Yemen- the president of the Islamic organization..
Amber Jain, India, Graduate student, Computer Science.
Odai- Jordan- MBA major. I didn't go to the cafeteria that day because Odai gave some delicious Jordanian food!
The Chinese organization. Their show and food are amazing as always!
The Indian talent show. It was just fabulous!
I can say I feel homesick since I saw the Saudi food :(
Helen (who doesn't know her?!)- English major- Brazil
Tang- Taiwan- Business major
Akram- Libya- MBA
Sunchai- our classmate :)
The Jordanian Association. We can see clearly our classmate Baker wearing the Bisht (one of the traditional Jordanian clothes).
While I was looking through my old posts and trying to link them to my research topic, I came across Mutnik’s idea of time and place. I think this method plays a prominent role in investigating literacy among international students. The idea of place is a philosophical trait used by the ethnographer to pinpoint the background of the inhabitants of that place. International students who came from all over the map occupy spots that most likely belonged to people from this country. The question we should postulate here is: what role does the place play towards its current inhabitants? In other words, does the international students’ literacy “change” after they live in places that were designed, decorated and filled with American posters, flyers?
I came to an international student’s office and asked him about some (not clearly significant) pictures hanged on the wall. “I don’t know what these pictures indicate” was his answer. In my research, I am not going to tackle the importance of the place in terms of its benefit of telling about its previous inhabitants; rather I’m going to focus on the literacy aspect. For example, Americans commonly hang posters, cartoons and stickers in their living and work spaces: inside the office, including the door from outside, inside the house, including the refrigerator. On the contrary, a number of cultures do not do such things and people from these cultures tend to punish their children if they have done so. Notice, the problem here is not that they punish them but they consider this behavior is childish. So, the question again: what about an international student who came from a culture of these and lived in a place while the house (including the refrigerator!) is filled with posters? A student told me “this is a clever idea because since I moved in here ,I kept posting on the wall some new English words” Does this place help this student improve his literacy? Apparently the answer is yes.
This is a photo of an incense burner. It has many different shapes. When it is empty, people usually place it on top of a table, as those international students whom I visited did. However, they mainly use it when they have guests. They put some coals on top of it and some Oud (a small perfume material) and when they burn it, a smoke arises producing a beautiful scent. Guests use it one by one.
International Students’ Reading Habits
In my survey, I wrote seven questions germane to the reading habits of the international students during their attending Texas A&M-Commerce and while they were at their home schools. Eleven international students participated in filling out the surveys. Here are the answers preceded by the questions:
1-Do you read in English or in your Native Language, or in both?
Most of the participants answered that they used to read in both languages when they were home, only four wrote they continue on both languages now at their current school—the rest uses English only.
2-In order to look for any information that is related to your classes, do you read in English or in your native language? Or in both?
Two participants answered they read in their native languages plus English. The rest says they only read in English and mentioned in the interviews that that was because of the lack of the resources in their native languages. They wrote they used to look for outside resources in both languages when they were at their home institutions.
3-Do you have a dictionary? If so, is it English- English or English- your native language?
Only three answered that they use English-English dictionary, the rest writes that they have English-Their native languages dictionary. Also, all of them agreed that they used both English-English and English-Native language dictionaries when they were home.
4-Do you read books that are not required in the class? How often? In what language?
Six participants wrote that they read books that are not required in class once a week and they did the same when they were home. Two of them believed that they just started reading outside materials when they came to this current school.
5-Do you feel comfortable reading out loud in class?
Five participants claimed that they feel comfortable reading out loud in class here at Texas A&M, they of course maintained that they were the same when they were home. Six of the participants wrote that they do not feel comfortable reading out loud in the class neither at their current school nor at their previous schools. Only one participant wrote she was comfortable reading out loud when she was at her home country, but not here.
6-Can you easily read the professors’ notes on the board and on your papers?
All the participants maintained that they can easily read the professor’s notes on their papers. Only two wrote that they sometimes cannot because either they are unclear or do not make sense. One participant wrote that always depends on the penmanship.
7-Do you prefer reading out of printed books or on the computer screen?
Only four participants maintained that they do not mind either of which, the rest wrote that they prefer reading out of printed books only.
After reading many resources books and articles tackling the concept of literacy, I came to a conclusion that there is no stable definition of literacy. The definition started to indicate the ability to read and write. However, since the literacy of the individual gives its prosperity to the whole society, the definition of one’s ability to read and write becomes not quite accurate. Many philosophies have been added, like John Duffy’s usage of rhetoric to broaden the concept of literacy. Duffy states, “By rhetoric I mean the ways that institutions and individuals use symbols to structure their thought and shape their conceptions of the world”(Duffy 38). This indicates the fact that the concept of literacy is subject to change and development as it overlaps with other similar concepts that are present in the field of education. Another interesting and similar “problem” of setting definitions is mentioned by Peter Roberts in Defining Literacy: Paradise, Nightmare or Red Herring. Roberts states, “For some theorists, there is no single ‘correct’ definition of literacy; instead, there are competing accounts of what it means to be ‘literate’ or ‘illiterate’” ( p.2)
I am mentioning this because my project deals mainly with literacy, and I’ve found if I tried to define literacy that would take me to nowhere. In my project, however, I will not try to give specific definition of literacy. Instead, I am going to accept the fact that literacy has fruitful consequences on both the individual and the societal levels. Thus, I will discuss how students- international students in my project- use their skills while they are attending the school. International students came from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, and my research questions whether they benefited from their previous skills or not.
An important question raised by the authors of Literacy—Why study literacy? I will try to answer this question but by looking to the other side- why study literacy of the international students? Of course, any research or a project has an aim that tries to discover, and the previous question- why study literacy of the international students- will help the reader know why specifically I’ve chosen that topic.
